Identity
by The Smiling Fox
Summary: Demons need vessels to survive. Without them, they wither away into dust. So when a lowly demon is forced to leave his temporary body after said container passes, he must find a new one. Luckily for him, a clueless Uchiha was wandering around that night.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Hey! New story! TOTES AWESOME! So yes, take it easy on me! This story will **NOT** be updated to frequently, seeing as I have a new thing to follow...

_Nat's To-Do list!_

Secret Present Story~ Lol... You know what I'm talking about person who knows what I'm talking about! ;D

Pitch Black~ UGH! I apologize for such a long wait everyone!

Revelations~ Yep yep, completing its final chapters!

Don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

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><p>Every demon knows when its vessel is dying. It happens slowly, and the signs are always there. Painful, agonizing signs. No demon in the right mind would want to experience the horrific sensation of death. They perceived it as a human characteristic, something their kind had no reason to go through. So, when these signs would come, they escape their bodies in hope that another will be close by. A strong, able bodied human to reside in for the rest of their pathetically short life span. It was their cycle; live in a human till they grow old, then move to the next and so on. They all knew this, and each one knew the act of switching was hard to complete. So, none of them left their bodies till it was completely and utterly necessary. Until they were on the verge of death themselves.<p>

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><p>Sasuke stomped away from the training field, particularly pissed. He'd just learned that Kakashi wanted to teach him a new jutsu, one that was extremely powerful. Yes. The Uchiha had been so excited. Even pestering the man about it slightly, but never enough to actually call him out on it. He made sure of that. So, today had been the day to learn the technique. Sasuke had almost jumped out of bed that morning and ran to the training grounds in his boxers. To his surprise, when they'd arrived his sensei only managed to explain the jutsu an teach the hand signs. By the time that ended, the sun was setting. All in all, Sasuke was ticked. <em>Who<em> in the _world_ took a day to explain one jutsu? The Uchiha looked up at the darkening sky, too angry to think clearly. A man bumped into him and he stumbled slightly, turning to face whoever had knocked him off balance. Black eyes met brown. It was just an old man, he realized.

"Oh! Please excuse me, boy." The elderly male chuckled and ruffled Sasuke's hair, making the child's eye twitch.

"It's...," his teeth gritted as the man continued and grinned stupidly at him all the while, "It's fine..." He choked out and sighed as the hand left his hair. The Uchiha glared at the man's back as he walked off, finally continuing on when he lost sight of him. His house, he soon realized, was on the other side of the village. Sasuke had wandered the wrong way this entire time and now found himself in the shopping area. The Uchiha dropped his head and let out an exhausted sigh. Getting home now would take almost twenty minutes. What a pain.

_'Calm down, Sasuke. You'll learn the jutsu tomorrow... Hopefully.'_ He growled inwardly and began the annoying trek home. As he walked the shops on either side of the road began to switch their lights off and close. Yes. He had chosen to take his time heading home. No one would be waiting for him, anyways. Sasuke let out a blissful sigh, remembering how he'd used to run home just to see his family before supper was served. Silly now, but very important back then. Multiple times had his alter ego wondered if he should get a cat or dog, just to have _something_ to greet him at the door. Certainly not a dog, now that he thought about it. Dogs were way too loud for him, barking and slobbering like it was going out of style. No way was he getting a canine as a pet. Another part of him, his puffed up side, told him that cats were feminine. For _girls_, in other words. Childish, but it did keep him from getting one. Though, he really couldn't see himself taking care of a pet. He was gone way too much to remember to feed it and he was not going to share his bed with anything of the sort. That was like asking for a wave of fur coating his bed sheets. Sasuke let his feet drag a little. It seemed as though he'd, once again, choose to live without. He passed Ichiraku and let his dark eyes roam over its customers. To no one's surprise, Naruto sat perched on a stool beside Iruka. He was yelling his head off about how much he'd grown since his academy days, which made Sasuke roll his eyes in annoyance. Though he knew deep down that the blond's words were true. He actually _had_ grown. Dramatically, in fact. No longer the pestering nuisance from before, who Sasuke refused to acknowledge any moment he could, the blond had become a sort of check-point for the Uchiha; a worthy rival. Well, worthy was a bit of a stretch, but right now he didn't really care. He walked passed the shop and soon Naruto's booming voice faded away and was replaced with the soft sounds of the night. Sasuke looked around with glazed, unamused eyes, trying to find something interesting to look at. The boy passed an alleyway and froze. Shuffling and soft moaning came from the side street and the boy turned his body to get a better look. Another few grunts and the Uchiha finally spotted a shivering, frail outline on the ground. Sasuke walked over cautiously, not knowing what to expect. It was the elderly man from before, though it was a bit hard to tell. His face was covered in an assortment of bruises and lumps, nose crooked and misshapen. The younger male kneeled next to him in surprise.

"Y-You should leave me. Ge-et away!" The man whispered through his bloody lips, weakly motioning the boy to leave him be. Sasuke shook his head no quickly, at a loss of words. He looked over the other with wide, confused eyes.

"What happened? Who did this to you?" He asked quickly. Although he really didn't know what he'd do with the information, he wanted to help in some way.

"You have to get away..." The elderly citizen repeated desperately, tensing up the next second as blood spewed from his mouth. Sasuke flinched at the sight and instinctively reached out to place a hand on the other's shoulder. He was shaking now, eyes rolling back in his head and body convulsing madly. The Uchiha watched with panicking, black orbs. What was he supposed to do? What _could_ he do? He'd never learned how to help injuries, unless they were minor. All he could think of doing was going and looking for help, which he did as quickly as possible. The pale ninja got up and ran back out of the alley, looking around for someone who could aid him and the dying man. He turned as the older man let out a choked breath and went limp. Sasuke froze. All of a sudden chills were running up his spine and his limbs became unresponsive. Something close by was emitting a strong chakra signal, strong enough to match an anbu. The Uchiha couldn't move an inch, eyes landing on the corpse back in the side street. His eyes seemed hollow, almost.

"Gah-" Something pressed against his chest agonizingly, feeling as if it was crushing his ribs and compressing his lungs. The boy crossed his arms in an 'x' over his chest and fell to his knees, forehead hitting the pavement as he doubled over. White hot agony was engulfing every one of his nerves, sending numerous pain signals to his brain.

_'What... the hell is... happening?'_ He thought, torturous burning washing over him as the pressure left, only to be replaced by quick, horrible pangs in his chest. The Uchiha let out small gasps and moans, body shaking uncontrollably. His eyesight swam in an out and he gripped the front of his blue shirt with a crushing hold. Seconds later the pain doubled and Sasuke fell limp under the street lamp, unconscious.

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><p>Voices. He heard voices. Lots of them, surrounding him and filling his ears with jumbled and confused sentences. Sasuke's senses began to awaken and he felt his head lying on something soft. Hands were stroking through his, surprisingly, wet hair and he felt another arm encircling his upper half.<p>

"Sensei, I think he's waking up!" A familiar feminine voice sounded near him, making Sasuke's eyebrows furrow. His hands unconsciously gripped something and pulled it closer to his cold body. The Uchiha cracked his eyes open, only making out blobs of confusing colors. A soft moan passed through his lips and the stroking stopped.

"Sasuke? Sasuke, are you awake?" Another recognizable voice asked, receiving a slight nod in reply. He blinked a couple of times to clear his sight. The boy found himself in the street with his head resting in the crook of Sakura's neck. A blanket had been wrapped around him and he realized that his clothes were wet.

"Why..." He managed to say in a weak voice. It was short, but it asked the most important question. The Uchiha felt a hand rest on his back.

"It's alright, Sasuke. We're bringing you to the hospital, so just hang on." The boy blinked slowly and felt himself get picked up. Hospital? Why was he going to the hospital? Sure, his head felt a bit weird, but he surely was capable of just heading home. No need to go to such an extent as to say he needed medical help. Sasuke opened his mouth once more, finding his throat to be awfully tight.

"I-I'm..." He couldn't finish his sentence, a small grunt of annoyance escaping his mouth. He felt his carrier slow to a gentle jog and he heard doors being thrown open. More confused voices passed over him, but he simply could not focus on any if them. A sudden dizzy spell washed over him and he closed his eyes, letting his head fall against whoever was holding him. Kakashi looked down at his wincing student, hurrying towards the front desk. The brown haired nurse behind the counter blinked and looked up at the man, who was giving her worried glances.

"We need to see a doctor as soon as possible." The jounin said quickly, motioning his head towards the boy in his arms.

"I am sorry, but you may have to wait for a few minutes. What seems to be his problem, sir?" The female asked him and grabbed her clipboard. Sasuke felt his damp shirt lifted up and the cold air-conditioning snap at his bare chest and stomach. A small gasp escaped the nurse as her blue eyes saw the mark, plastering onto the boy's pale skin like an ugly tattoo. The young boy tried to look and see what was so surprising, but couldn't manage to lift his head up enough to see his middle. Also, his sensei pulled his shirt back down, blocking whatever it was they saw from sight.

"I'll inform Tsunade-sama at once, you can head up to room two hundred and three. A nurse will be there shortly to prepare him for Lady Hokage." Kakashi nodded and hurried to his student's room. Once there he set the boy down on the bed, slipping his wet clothes off so that he wouldn't be so cold. He presumed Sasuke had been in front of that alley since before eleven o'clock. That was when the rain had started and soaked the child's clothes. Sasuke coughed a little and rolled onto his side, clawing weakly at the blanket someone had placed over him before he'd awakened. The Uchiha noticed his sensei staring at his chest and he looked down sluggishly. Marks. Everywhere. They formed a unique patter in the center of his rib cage. The boy blinked in utter confusion. What was this? He didn't understand. Kakashi turned as a nurse walked in, beginning to insert an IV into the child's arm. Sasuke let out a gasp as the needle pricked him, too dazed to hide his surprise.

"Sensei? K-Kakashi..." He moaned and let his head fall to the side, feeling something inside him lurch roughly. The Uchiha gagged and held his gut, a pained look crossing his pale features. His mind clouded with strange thoughts. Things he never knew began to come to him. His thin frame jerked and something began to fill his throat. His sensei watched with worry, leaning over the younger male and flinching as black sludge dripped past his lips and trailed down the side of his face. The Uchiha coughed and covered his mouth, eyes wide and nervous. The sludge tasted like ashes and smelled like smoke.

"What's happening to him?" Kakashi ordered as more black fluid spurted from his student's mouth. The nurse stared with shocked eyes.

"I-I don't know... Lady Hokage will be here soon." She stuttered and backed away as Sasuke retched over the side of the bed, squeezing his eyes shut and letting out a loud sob. The grey haired jounin rubbed his back.

"It's going to be alright, Sasuke. Everything is fine." The boy heard and nodded weakly, clenching his teeth and choking as more liquid was forced up his throat. The Uchiha saw the nurse's feet step back and out of his line of sight, hearing the door open and shut.

"What is that?" A strong voice asked and Sasuke felt his head lifted up gently. His black bangs fell into his face and covered his eyes. The boy coughed a little and some black sludge spattered onto Tsunade's shirt. She grimaced and felt the boy fall into her weakly, groaning and shivering terribly.

"Kakashi, could you help him into a sitting position?" The man nodded and pulled the boy up and away from the blond woman. Sasuke's head fell forward limply and the white sheets below him began to have black splotches. Tsunade stood in front of the Uchiha, looking over the seal with a serious glint in her eyes.

"This seal is somewhat like Naruto's. Though I myself am not an expert on them." The woman explained, reaching out to touch the boy's mark warily. The minute her fingers touched his skin a shudder crawled up her spine. The Hokage took her hand back and inhaled a little. Kakashi looked at her worriedly.

"Hokage-sama? Is everything alright?" The grey haired man asked, suddenly feeling the same shiver in his bones. Sasuke lifted his head and glared weakly at Tsunade, bearing his teeth and spitting some black sludge at her face.

"Don't touch me you _cunt_." He snarled and winced as his sensei grasped his arm tightly.

"Sasuke! What's gotten into-"

"Shut your mouth, old bastard. Get off my arm." His student threw him off with an unknown strength, sending the man stammering back into the wall. Sasuke gasped the next moment and doubled over, pain overwhelming him.

"_AH!_" He screamed and yanked on his hair. Tsunade ordered the nurse, who was frozen in the corner of the room, to go get help.

"Y-Yes, Hokage-sama!" She squeaked and slipped out the door as fast as her legs could carry her. Kakashi restrained Sasuke, but noticed his chakra begin to rise dramatically. Once slightly weakened by the mark, it now flared and pulsed madly.

"Sasuke," the man hissed in his ear, making the child flinch and stare into space, "Control yourself." The Uchiha turned and pinned him with his sharingan, black liquid covering his chin and dripping down the front of his chest. The mark seemed to be supplying the young boy's newfound chakra and his sensei exposed his own red eye. Tsunade walked over and forced the boy's arms behind his back, knowing her strength outmatched the young ninja. Sasuke struggled and yelped loudly, snarling at the two. Two anbu rushed in, taking over and forcing the boy face down into the mattress. Kakashi felt concern wash over him, hearing his student scream in agony as he was walked out of the room.

"I need to know everything that happened before Sasuke went home yesterday. Also all the details when you found him." Tsunade ordered and turned to Shizune, who was halfway down the hall. Tsunade ordered her to go find Jiraiya, and the brown haired woman skidded to a stop and turned around as quickly as she could without falling over. A bang was heard from inside Sasuke's room, and Kakashi was forced to stay down in the waiting rooms with Tsunade as she questioned him.

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><p>The anbu surrounded the boy, who had made his way off the bed and into a corner of the room. Now, swirling, orange chakra circled his thin form and he leaned back against the wall. The older ninja flinched as the chakra convulsed and whipped at them warningly. Sasuke panted and fell to his knees weakly, another dizzy spell hitting him hard. His vision swam in and out of focus and shadows danced before his eyes. Nothing could be made out. Then, he heard a voice. Deep and dark, it whispered in his head and told him to rest. Sasuke, weakened enough already, gave into the voice's idea and fell face down on the floor. A small, shaky groan passed through his lips and the orange aura flared powerfully. One man was forced a few feet farther back from the unconscious Uchiha, who suddenly began to pick himself up. The black haired boy lifted his head, now blazing, orange eyes glaring the men down. His pupils were slits and even more black sludge vomited from his opened mouth. The anbu watched silently as the boy stood up and fisted his hands, letting out a loud roar of anger and forcing more chakra to circle around him.<p>

"What is this?..." One man asked, hearing the door open behind him and a hand fall on his shoulder. The boy hunched in the corner of the hospital room. He narrowed his glowing eyes and spat at them, tongue lapping up the black liquid.

"I've got this under control," the white haired man said, "You can stand back, now." The anbu obeyed hesitantly, but knew they must follow the sannin's orders. Jiraiya looked over the young ninja, sighing and focussing more on the red seal plastered on his chest. Sasuke snarled and ran at him, fist aimed for the other's face. Jiraiya grabbed it with ease and threw the boy back, making him skid across the clean tile. The boy flipped back up, crouching on his hands. He glared angrily and retched again, grinning a little and licking some off of his hand.

_'That seal is unknown to me... But, it should be easy to close it. Although Sasuke's sudden change of chakra is making me wonder...'_ The man thought to himself, making a few hand signs and gripping his right wrist tightly. His fingers glowed a little and he waited for the proper moment to deactivate the Uchiha's seal. Sasuke snarled and ran at him once again after circling him a little, still crouched close to the floor. Jiraiya took his chance as the younger male drew close, jamming his jutsu into the boy's chest and grabbing him by the hair. The child choked and his orange eyes widened considerably. The chakra surrounding him vanished instantly and his body began to slowly fall limp to the cold floor. The sannin waited for a while, holding the Uchiha's arms behind his back just in case. After about ten minutes the ninja moved a little, completely knocked out. Jiraiya sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes. The white haired man turned and opened the door, seeing Tsunade standing right outside.

"Things got quiet. Everything going alright in there? Kakashi won't stop asking-"

"Tsunade, that seal on the boy's chest is unknown to me." The blond tensed and her amber eyes hardened. Jiraiya was a master at seals. Not once had she heard those words escape her former teammate's mouth. The writer turned as movement sounded behind them, seeing the black haired boy curling up into a tight ball. His head rested on the hard floor. The Hokage walked in after seeing his unconscious state.

"Did it really come to knocking him out? I'd rather hear some details from the kid himself."

"That _kid_ is nothing to be underestimated. There's something terribly wrong with his chakra. It's even changed colors..." The man once again made the woman give him a shocked stare.

"No... Impossible. That's complete nonsense." She retorted and placed two fingers against Sasuke's warm forehead. She knew what the man was referring to and she refused to believe it. Only _demons_ could do that. Sasuke couldn't have a demon, it just didn't make sense. How could he have just picked one up? Yes, she had heard of such things happening, but all of those had been forced to happen through forbidden jutsus and other things of the sort. Then again, Sasuke had recently received that dreaded curse mark from Orochimaru. That bastard might have done something more right under their noses. Sasuke let out a shaky moan and moved his head slightly to the side, curse mark exposed. The blond haired woman looked at the black tomoes, amber eyes narrowing angrily.

"Do you think Orochimaru has anything to do with this?..."

"I don't know... We have to figure out what's happening to him first before we start pointing fingers at anyone, even if it's at that twisted bastard." Jiraiya mumbled and crossed his arms, examining the orange seal on Sasuke's chest more thoroughly. It reminded him so much of Naruto's seal. The white haired man bent down and rolled the boy onto his back, placing his fingers around the mark. The Uchiha tensed at the touch and curled up in pain.

"It's sensitive..." Tsunade whispered to her old teammate.

"Either because it just became active or it's fresh. We need to find out how to seal this permanently, and question Sasuke on what he's been up to." Jiraiya explained and stood back up. He didn't trust the Uchiha at all. He reminded him a bit too much of Orochimaru. Now that the man had placed his mark on the boy he'd completely lost interest in him, if he cared for Sasuke at all before, that is. Tsunade gave him a serious look.

"Sasuke isn't doing any forbidden jutsus behind our backs, Jiraiya... He isn't Orochimaru."

"Yea, but the kid sure is turning into him. Where do _you_ think he got that mark, Tsunade? Certainly he did something to receive it." The woman rolled her eyes and lifted herself off the floor, motioning Jiraiya to place him back on the bed. The man grimaced but did as he was told.

"I don't know where he got it, but I do know that he has nothing to do with it. Naruto trusts Sasuke, and if he does then so do I." The writer across from her laughed a little and Tsunade sent him a death glare.

"You trust what he thinks he knows? He doesn't know what he's saying. Naruto has blind trust in people he hardly knows."

"And you know Sasuke better than Naruto does?" The woman snapped and grinned as Jiraiya grew silent.

"You should trust Naruto more, if not Sasuke. He isn't a dumb little kid." The woman finished and looked down at Sasuke, who was grunting and shuffling around uneasily. Something was bothering him, and the woman placed her hand on his forehead soothingly.

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><p>Sasuke opened his eyes to meet darkness. It was hot, he soon noticed. He wiped his head when he noticed he was sweating. The boy's eyes caught the water he was standing in, taking a few steps back and looking around himself. A deep voice chuckled around him and the Uchiha froze.<p>

"Wh-Who's there? Show yourself!" Sasuke ordered, taking a few more steps backwards and splashing the water into the air. The voice laughed again and trailed off with a low growl.

"If that is what you want." It replied slowly. The young ninja spun around as the water behind him was disturbed. His eyes widened as the animal approached him, bright, orange eyes piercing him. The panther creeped forward, about three heads taller than the human before him.

"Hello, young human." It growled in its throat, mouth hanging open as the words escaped past his lips. Sasuke stumbled back as the animal sat down on its haunches, deep, purple tongue lapping at its chops and swaying its thick tail on the water's surface.

"There is no need to be frightened, human. I have no interest in hurting you," the panther blinked its glowing eyes, "That would be simply foolish to hurt such a capable vessel." A deep purr emitted from the big cat and Sasuke shivered a little.

"W-What is this? What are you talking about?" The ninja stuttered and looked up at the feline. Something inside him told him that he was going insane. Animals didn't talk. Nor did they grow to such a size, but that logic didn't seem to apply here either. The panther laughed at his shaking voice, lifting a paw out to the boy and motioning him towards its furry chest.

"Step closer. Don't be frightened, little human. I will not hurt you."

"Shut up!" Sasuke hollered and hit the panther's paw away from him. The feline took back its limb and placed it back into the warm water beneath them both. Sasuke twitched as the cat just continued to stare at him.

"I asked you where we are! Who are you and what's going on?" He screamed again as the black animal relaxed itself into the water, stretching its four legs out and lying on its large side.

"My name is Shobojo, young human. We are inside your soul, where I have decided to make my new home. It is very nice here, I must tell you." Shobojo roared powerfully, crossing his front paws and splashing some water onto Sasuke's lower half. The boy growled and wiped more sweat from his face. God, it was so humid wherever they were. He flinched as he remembered the panther's words. _Inside_ him? No, impossible. This was nonsense, probably a jutsu of some sort. Shobojo's deep voice reached his ears again and the Uchiha glared heatedly.

"I can sense your denial, human. Trust my words, it will all make sense soon enough."

"What the hell do you mean soon enough! What are you?" Sasuke bellowed. His anger was beginning to boil. If this was a dream, why did it feel so real? Shobojo nodded and laughed a little, black ears bouncing with his head's movement.

"Yes, yes I know it is all very confusing. Just take your sweet time and let it _soak_ in. But now know that you will be sharing a mind with me, as well as a body. Don't do anything stupid, or I'll have to go and get you out of trouble..."

"What? You're not making any sense! We can't be inside my soul, that's impossible! Just... just shut up!" The Uchiha ordered, knowing how immature and scared he sounded. He didn't care anymore. This was too much. The panther rose to his feet, lips curving down and making his smile fade away into an emotionless stare.

"You're a bit loud, aren't you? My last container was much easier to talk to than you, little human."

"Stop calling me that!" Sasuke snapped and stamped up right in front of the panther, who looked down at him with large, orange orbs.

"What may I call you then? What do you prefer?" Shobojo asked calmly, letting his huge head fall to the side in a questioning manner. Sasuke shook his head no and gritted his teeth.

"Don't you call me _anything_! Just let me out of whatever this is! Wherever we are! Just leave!" He ordered and tensed as Shobojo lowered his head to hover in Sasuke line of sight. The Uchiha watched silently, mouth hanging open a little. The cat narrowed his eyes and bared his fangs.

"You listen to me, human," the feline roared in Sasuke's face, making the boy raise his arms in front of him in a protect manner, "I'm here to stay. My old vessel passed and luckily you were kind enough to stand by him as he died, giving me a chance to enter you." The boy inhaled a little. That elderly man? This thing was inside him? He looked at the panther with confused eyes. Shobojo's large and lean body moved back slightly, seeing that the boy was finally listening.

"Now then...," he began and Sasuke jumped as the water began to rush around his ankles, "You must wake. Remember, I will not allow you to put yourself in danger. You're body is now mine as well..." Sasuke opened his mouth to ask more questions, but the water began to rise and he felt himself become swept away in the warm current.

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><p>Kakashi lifted his head as a nurse walked towards him, telling him that Sasuke was awake and subdued. The grey haired man stood quickly and followed the woman with haste. Anxiety filled his mind. Subdued? Did Sasuke end up doing something? His student's room came into view and his heart began to pound uneasily. They entered and Kakashi kept his walk steady as he saw Sasuke, strapped down to the hospital bed. The boy turned his head, black liquid no longer escaping his mouth. The younger ninja blinked tiredly as the nurse left with a small bow.<p>

"Kakashi..." The boy whispered hoarsely. His sensei pulled up a chair and perched himself next to the bed.

"Sasuke, how are you feeling? Is everything alright now?" He asked worriedly and let his eyes roam to the mark on Sasuke's chest. The Uchiha noticed and looked down himself.

"He... spoke to me. He said I was his new vessel..." The boy whispered, mind still foggy and unclear. He had gotten into dry, hospital clothes and his headband was set neatly on the nightstand. Kakashi sat up straighter, completely taken by surprise at his student's words. Who was he talking about?

"What do you mean, Sasuke? Who told you that?" He asked urgently, leaning forward a little in interest. Sasuke closed his eyes and his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"Uh... I think... Shobojo? He said I was sharing my body with him now..." Kakashi cocked an eyebrow. Shobojo?

"Who is Shobojo, Sasuke?" The boy struggled with the strap around his right wrist, instead deciding to use his left hand to rub his eyes tiredly.

"I... He was big..." He managed to mutter under his breath, coughing loudly and rubbing his chest. The jounin sighed and watched his student try to describe Shobojo, trailing off weakly. After telling all his dizzy mind could remember, the boy dozed off. Kakashi sighed and looked at the boy's seal once again.

_'Shobojo...'_ He thought to himself and left the room, knowing he certainly wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Haha, so there you have it! **R&R** if you'd like. Feedback is greatly appreciated!

_Nat_


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Haha. So, I really liked the feedback I received for the first chapter! Six reviews? Haha, that's a RECORD WOOT! (I am not that popular ;D) Haha, so someone asked me for a translation for Shobojo, because it sounded like a Sesame street name in Japan... But, uh, I don't really have one. I saw it somewhere a while ago. I kinda' liked it LOL. So, to that wonderful reviewer, just try and picture a big, scary demon instead of, like, big bird LOLOLOL. Sorry! :)

I do not own Naruto, or any of its characters.

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><p>Sasuke once again found himself in the darkness, feeling the water up to his knees now. The Uchiha picked at his shorts and began wading through the thick liquid.<p>

_'This... isn't water?'_ The boy thought, dipping his hand into it and bringing it to his nose. He smelled it, nostrils filling with the familiar scent of smoke. It was that black sludge, and it was everywhere apparently.

"Sho-... Shobojo?" He hollered out, hearing his voice almost become swallowed by the pitch black filth.

"Oh? Sasuke... You have come to see me once again?" the feline's eyes appeared in front of Sasuke, looking to be a few meters away, "I've been exploring your deeply moving, and chaotic, memories. How is such a prepossessing boy, such as yourself, the brother of that horrifically grotesque man?" Shobojo chuckled a little, walking through the smoke smelling muck and approaching his vessel with his black lips curved up in a smile. The black haired boy's eyes flashed red and he struggled to reach the panther.

"Oh... Calm yourself, human. I meant no disrespect." The demon purred and let his paw glide over the surface of the slime. Sasuke felt it harden considerably, legs becoming stuck in place. The Uchiha tugged and struggled, attempting to reach the black feline but failing miserably. Shobojo chuckled and stood closer to the boy, breath smelling of unforetold horrors that he had eaten in his time. Sasuke presumed it consisted of many dead animals, judging by the odor.

"This muck that you are standing in? You believe it belongs to me," the animal purred in his throat, letting his silky voice wash over the boy, "and you are exactly right. I have collected this during all of my changing from human to human. Did you know all of you have this? Quite disgusting, don't you think?" The panther took a few steps back, admiring the boy before him. The Uchiha struggled wildly, finally feeling the slime soften. The boy fell into it and held his breath as warm water swallowed his body. Sasuke flailed and choked for air, lungs only receiving cups of water. He could have _sworn_ that this was black sludge before. What was going on? Those orange eyes appeared again in the murky depths below his sinking form.

"Oh yes. Humans do not breathe underwater, do they? You have lungs. Such a pity," the boy coughed as the water flew up into the darkness surrounding them, leaving Sasuke lying on something hard and cold, "I almost forget how flimsy your kind is. Anything can kill you, and none of you have any defense mechanisms... Excluding running." The black haired boy lifted his head and coughed up water, desperate for air. Shobojo smiled at him and licked his shoulder blade, purple tongue combing through the knots and tangles. The child could see the rough texture of the dark muscle as it scraped itself over the pitch black fur, standing shakily and returning to glaring at the demon. Shobojo lifted his humongous head back up, giving the boy a quick look over.

"Also," he purred and stood up, pacing around the ninja, "I see you are on a team. Team Seven, yes? None of that. Not at all. I will not allow you to put yourself in danger-"

"And what can _you_ do about _my_ decisions? I think with you using my body like a new apartment I'm allowed to make the rules." Sasuke snarled at the demon, suddenly feeling his lungs fill with sticky fluid. He hunched and coughed up the black sludge. Shobojo eyed him with his gleaming orange orbs.

"For one thing, I control half of you whenever I please. Now that I am here, your agility and flexibility should also increase dramatically. There are _many_ things to thank me for, brat." He roared and watched the child hack roughly. The human moaned and dropped his head, feeling sharp pangs in his chest. The panther approached him and smiled above the boy.

"I shall communicate my wishes for you to that blond, nine-tailed brat. He should be able to hear me easily-"

"W-What..." Another coughing fit, followed by a handful of black muck. The feline narrowed his glowing eyes.

"Your teammate, Naruto. I will speak with his demon and ask that his vessel explains it to the rest of your team. Such a foolish idea- becoming a ninja.." The demon sighed and emptied the boy's lungs for him. Sasuke inhaled shakily and looked at the beast with shocked eyes. The words escaping his mouth were astonishing. Stop his training? Never. He still had to murder his brother.

"Ah, yes. Thinking of Itachi, ne?" Shobojo purred to him, smirking as if all knowing. Sasuke glared at him heatedly. How had he known?

"Because," the panther chuckled, answering his vessel's thoughts, "I am part of you. Your past is now mine- as mine is yours. I thought a genius such as yourself could figure that out. Has no one explained my kind to you?" The demon finished his droning, tilting his head to the side in wonder. Sasuke stared silently, panting a little from his previous hacking.

"I... am not quitting my training. Whether you like it..," he breathed out, sharingan blazing in the darkness, "Or not!" Shobojo's grin melted away at the boy's words and he hissed loudly, black spit dripping from his deep purple tongue.

"I have spoken my orders. Either you do it on your own terms, or I force you. Either way, you must wake now..." Shobojo roared furiously and sank into the black sludge.

* * *

><p>Sasuke's eyes cracked open to bright lights, wincing and seeing a shadow next to him.<p>

"You're up." Jiraiya muttered as the boy turned his head to look at him. A white glob of messy hair was all his eyes could see and he began to raise his hand to rub them. Clanking was heard and metal bit into his soft, pale skin. He grunted a little with confusion, arching his neck to see his wrists chained to the bed.

"What?" he whispered quietly, "What is this for?..."

"We have evidence that leads us to believe you are dealing with a demon. Are you aware of anything different?" The man asked seriously, leaning forward and placing his hands on his knee caps. Sasuke pulled a little at the cold restraints, annoyance filling him. Then, realization hit him. He'd attacked them the last time he'd been awake. Damn demon taking over like that.

"Sasuke," the sannin grabbed a hold of the boy's chin, making the Uchiha whimper and jump in surprise, "Focus. Are you aware of anything strange? Your chakra has been tainted already." Jiraiya ordered easily. He _really_ didn't like this boy, and that only made interrogating him easier. Sasuke winced and closed one eye, grip tightening considerably.

"Y-Yes. He... told me to quit training." The child struggled to say, the older ninja making it pretty hard to move his jaw. Jiraiya flinched and let go.

"What did he say. Was he human?" He began to spout off, worried now. If this was a tailed beast then they were in big trouble. Sasuke obviously had little to no control over the beast.

"His name is Shobojo... He... I think he was a panther, but it was so dark. I couldn't really make anything out..." The younger male thought hard to remember. He felt a mental wall appear, blocking his thinking process instantly.

_'This man does not deserve any answers. Stop talking.'_ Shobojo's voice echoed in his mind. Sasuke struggled to remember things, but the panther blocked him out.

"He..." He couldn't finish, feeling his tongue grow useless. Obviously the feline did _not_ have any intention of letting him explain further. The sannin watched him curiously. The signs were there. Every single one of them.

"Shobojo? Good. That doesn't sound like any tailed beast. Can you describe him? Did he tell you anything else?"

"He's-... I can't." The boy snarled out, pressing his head back into the pillow. He heard a deep growl echo in him.

_'Struggling in pointless. My power dominates yours.'_ The cat finished and retreated back into his mind. The Uchiha squinted his eyes in frustration. This was going to become a problem. The demon had control over him, and that thought sent chills up his spine. What else did he have power over? Could he really be forced out of training? Jiraiya cocked an eyebrow. He had studied up on demons last night and half of the day and this was beginning to remind him of a symptom.

"He's blocking you? What's happening." He demanded and leaned more towards the boy. Sasuke nodded slightly, gritting his teeth painfully. The man lifted his shirt up suddenly and the Uchiha let out a surprised gasp.

"Wha-at are you-" His tongue refused to move more, making him pull at the metal circling his wrists without success. The sannin hovered above his stomach while making numerous hand-signs.

"Stop struggling. Hold still." The older ninja snarled, pressing his hand down on the seal and ripping a pained scream from Sasuke. The boy thrashed and yanked at the handcuffs. The agony was tremendous and it washed over him like a wildfire. The pain was indescribable. Shobojo roared in his head furiously.

_'Ignorant ass.'_ He hissed and Sasuke felt the cat lunge. His eyesight fogged over and he lost feeling in his body.

Jiraiya flinched as the boy's seal flared with orange chakra, knocking his hand away. The sannin winced and slapped his other hand over the new burn, skin stinging as he rubbed the raw skin. Sasuke sat up swiftly, bearing his now yellow fangs at him warningly. Chakra surrounded him and the restraints fell to the floor, the Uchiha's once perfect, white skin turning pitch black. Growls and black spit left his mouth and he got out of the hospital bed, eyes rolling back and becoming milky white.

"Don't you dare touch my body." Shobojo snarled out in a raspy voice, taking a few steps towards Jiraiya. The man narrowed his eyes and made more hand seals, preparing some type of jutsu. The demon tossed his head back and laughed loudly, deep voice echoing off the plain walls.

"Your weak attempts at subduing me are pointless, _fool_," the demon sneered and more chakra appeared around him, taking the shape of two ears and a tail, "I can't stand humans like you." Jiraiya finished his signs and ran at the boy, his own blue chakra swirling in front of him. Shobojo let out a roar as he was tackled, clawing at the man's back as they broke through the window. The older ninja snagged the child's frail wrists, twisting a bit and launching the other back to earth. Sasuke's body went soaring to the ground, crashing into the street with a loud snarl. Jiraiya landed on his feet before the cloud of dust, waiting for the demon to emerge from the smoke. People ran away from them, screams and shouts erupting from the shops. The demon launched out of the cloud, leaping at the sannin with claws unsheathed. The man dodged a few swipes of the boy's claws, once again grabbing his arms and throwing him back to the pavement. Shobojo let out another high pitched roar, being cut off as Jiraiya's foot stamped onto his throat. The child coughed out black muck, white eyes growing wide.

"You're weak. I was almost thinking you might be a tailed beast. Now I see you're just a miserable, helpless demon that _has_ to live in a human for protection."

"I am weakened... from the switch I made a day ago... Thank whatever _god_ you may believe in for such.. luck..." The beast choked out and felt the man press down harder. The white haired sannin glared heatedly down at him, seeing people begin to crowd around them curiously. He hears a familiar voice behind him, but refused to look away from the demon.

"Jiraiya! Let him-" She gasped at the sight, making Shobojo chuckle and cough as his throat became compressed. Tsunade glared at him in confusion.

"So he does have a demon? You have him under control?" The blond whispered under her breath, three anbu appearing behind her. The boy opened his mouth in a silent roar, orange chakra diminishing into nothing.

"I don't think he'll be much trouble. More like a _pest_ then a demon." Jiraiya snarled, putting emphasis on 'pest'. Shobojo turned his head to the side, hands lifting up the man's leg and clawing down it. Blood leaked onto his face and chest, wild black hair turning glossy with the fluid. The sannin winced at the burning sensation, pressing more and making the demon flail wildly. He shook his head no and shoved his foot up a bit.

"I will leave if you wish, just don't hurt his body..." He growled slowly, pride obviously being slaughtered.

"Why don't you answer some questions first? Then we won't hurt Sasuke." Tsunade offered, waving the anbu back. Shobojo gave her a emotionless look, then bellowed at her as he exploded in laughter.

"And you think I'd engage conversation with a _female_ human? I can hardly stand males as it is. Don't you speak to me, cunt." He chuckled and threw Jiraiya's foot off. The man stumbled backwards, tensing as he watched the demon get to his feet. The white haired man appeared next to Tsunade, chakra flaring. The woman was also ready to beat the creature into the dirt.

"No need to fret, I am retreating to gain back my strength... Like I said," he smiled at them, "Don't even think of hurting this boy's body." With that said the boy fell to the floor, skin returning to its normal white. The anbu rushed to Sasuke's side, feeling his neck quickly.

"He's fine, Lady Hokage." One said as another scooped the Uchiha into his arms. The child's head flopped back lifelessly, black fluid once again flooding his mouth. His carrier, face covered with a hawk mask, eyed the liquid.

"Lady... Lady Hokage. What is this?" He stuttered out and helped the boy's head up, motioning to Tsunade. The woman walked over and looked into Sasuke's mouth. She flinched and ordered them to hand him over, quickly taking him into her arms and letting the fluid drip out onto the street. Some women covered their kid's eyes, thinking it was blood and not wanting their innocence to be dirtied. Tsunade, making sure Sasuke's throat wasn't clogged anymore and he could breathe, brought the unconscious boy back into the hospital. The child moaned as she ran down the hall, opening his black eyes to see the clean, tile floor zipping under his feet. The blond noticed him struggle a bit and lifted his head up quickly. Sasuke grunted and eyed her tiredly.

"Shobojo?..." He whimpered out deliriously, having just been trapped in his head with his demon for the past ten minutes. The demon had been quite annoying, bringing up past thoughts he had stumbled upon- like his connections in his team. Sakura was a large topic of discussion. Shobojo seemed to think that he had something going on with her. Either that or he accused him of having something to do with _Naruto_. Sasuke had screamed his head off at such words and once again found his legs locked in the cement like fluid. Though the rest of his memories were a bit foggy, he could clearly hear the panther's deep voice warning him to quit his training. He was brought back to reality as Tsunade pulled him up onto his previous bed, flopping out after realizing he felt terribly weak again. The Hokage helped him into the bed, not wasting any time making him comfortable, and ran back out of the room. Sasuke lie staring at the broken window. Shobojo must have done it. He slowly looked over himself to check for glass shards, seeing none and resting his head back against the mattress again. Jiraiya and a man appeared in the doorway, both carrying large, rolled up scrolls.

"You get the right side of the room, I'll get the left." The sannin explained and the anbu ran towards the shattered window. He ignored the glass easily, grabbing Sasuke's wrists and chaining them to the bed quickly. The boy flinched and groaned loudly, beginning to pull desperately at the restraints and opening his eyes in realization.

"What's happening?" He choked out, feeling a little bit more sludge dripping out of his mouth. It still tasted like ashes. He felt his other arm become forced above his head, in a spread eagle. His foggy mind thought of panicking and he kicked his legs out violently. The anbu grabbed them and forced them down onto the bed.

"Calm down, Sasuke." Jiraiya growled in a very non-comforting way. The Uchiha let out a soft whine as the iron grasped his ankles. Why were they chaining him down so roughly? Shobojo had said he was too weak to take over again. Sasuke tossed his head weakly and spat up onto the white sheets, trying to force the questions coming to his mind out. The child felt his shirt ripped off and he gasped slightly. The older ninja quickly cut their palms, warm liquid dripping onto Sasuke's middle. The younger male shivered as the men began to place bloody marks on him, preparing a seal around his chest. Jiraiya flinched as he saw the boy's eyes turn crimson, ripping a piece of cloth off and tying it around his head swiftly. Sasuke gritted his teeth as they continued marking over his middle, Shobojo screaming angrily inside his head.

* * *

><p>Sakura jogged down the crowded street, apologizing to the people she bumped into. Her parents had showed her a recent news report on the television and she had quickly recognized the boy in it to be Sasuke, obviously a bit different than usually though. He had been wild looking, with pitch black skin and milky eyes. The image made her speed up as she headed directly to the hospital. Minutes passed and the crowd began to grow thicker and harder to run through. The pink haired girl heard a man next to her as she squeezed through say something about wondering of Jiraiya was alright.<p>

_'Jiraiya?'_ She thought, but continued to crawl her way to the hospital's front doors. Suddenly, she bursted out of the crowd and into the open street. A gaping hole sat before her in the ground, making the girl stumble to a stop. Chakra marks were scattered on the pavement, along with a few drops of black mud. Sakura waisted no more time looking over the street, running into the building nearby. The kunoichi rushed to the front front desk, asked for Sasuke's room, and received a hasty no.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but you can't see him right-" The nurse gasped as Sakura lunged forward and snatched the clipboard from her hands, giving it a quick glance then rushing off up the hallway. It wasn't too far, she could make it in a matter of seconds if no one tried to stop her. The girl made a sharp turn at the end of the hall, shoes clapping against the tile loudly. Some nurses pressed themselves against the wall as she ran by, not wanting to get trampled by her. Sakura's emerald eyes spotted her teammate's room number. She skidded to a stop and threw the door open, freezing at the sight. Sasuke lie on the bed, blindfolded and chained spread eagle. Blood ran down his sides and onto the bed sheets, trailing all the way down the bed's legs and spiraling out across the tile floor. She flinched as the two older ninja glared at her.

"S-Sasuke-kun?"

"Sakura!" He choked out deliriously, turning his head towards her. The boy began pulling at the chains once again, struggling to free himself. Sakura began to step towards him, but Jiraiya yelled for her to stop.

"Stop! Don't touch him, or the seals on the floor." He ordered sternly, perched on the wall opposite the Uchiha's bed. He was making even more signs up the wall. The kunoichi looked around the room with wide eyes. Blood was everywhere, covering all exposed surfaces. She followed the small seals to Sasuke's chest, where they clumped around the boy's larger seal.

"What's going on? Is Sasuke-kun going to be alright?" She stuttered worriedly, clasping her hands in front of her chest in an anxious manner. The anbu nodded without looking at her, refusing to stop working.

"He'll be fine... Once we get that seal of his contained, that is. Nothing," Jiraiya winced as he cut another small slice of his arm open, drawing more fresh blood, "to worry about. You should go talk to Tsunade-"

"I can help somehow! I could... I-I could...," she racked her brain for the words, not wanting to leave her crush's side, "I can calm him down, a-and help give him medicine, and... do anything else you need to do!" She spat out finally, begging the sannin to let her stay. Jiraiya sighed as he finished his marking, giving Sakura an annoyed look.

"Fine, but don't get in the way," he appeared by Sasuke's bed, "Just don't let your emotions get the better of you. Got that?" Sakura nodded quickly, taking a small step forward and making the older ninja hold up a hand to make her halt. She froze and nodded once again. Jiraiya made a set of hand signs, mumbling something and slapping his bloody palm down on Sasuke's huge seal. The boy lurched and screamed loudly, tears immediately seeping through the blindfold. Sakura tensed at the sight, gaping a bit as the bloody marks began to inch into Sasuke's skin. The Uchiha writhed on the bed, black seal on his chest flaring with bright, orange chakra.

"He's struggling..." The anbu said warily, hawk mask being adjusted on his face. Sasuke cried out again as the marks burnt into his skin, permanent this time. Jiraiya's old seal had disappeared the night before, obviously allowing the demon to take over earlier.

"A-Are you sure he's-"

"If you can't handle it then _leave_." Jiraiya snapped at the kunoichi, sweating a bit as he forced himself to keep his hand in place. The marks were almost done melting into Sasuke, climbing up the bed and around his seal slowly. The white haired man pulled away with a sharp inhale, catching himself before he fell. Sasuke let out another ear shattering scream and collapsed onto the bed, quivering madly with the pain. Sakura couldn't hold back anymore and she ran to his side, looking over him worriedly.

"Here," Jiraiya said and passed her the key to the handcuffs, "Calm him down." He left with the anbu, shutting the door loudly as they did. The kunoichi quickly undid her teammate's restraints, pulling him into a firm hug afterwards. The Uchiha trembled and jumped at the embrace, blindfold being pulled off gently.

"Sasuke-kun, it's alright now." She said soothingly, rubbing his sweaty back and massaging it slightly. The boy coughed on a raspy breath, trying to stop crying.

"S-Sakura..." He choked out weakly, trembling against her and dropping his head in exhaustion. The girl hushed him and let him lie back down, running a hand through his damp, black hair. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth painfully.

"It... h-hurts..." He whimpered and rolled onto his side, curling up and hugging his gut. The pink haired female continued to soothe him till he finally blacked out, head falling into her hand as he did so. She waited a while, emerald eyes rolling to look over the young ninja's seal. Her mind wandered and she gently reached out to touch it, gasping as it flared dangerously under her hand. Sakura took it back and winced noticeably, worry increasing. She stared at the mark with red, watery eyes.

_'Sasuke... What's happening to you?'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Haha, hope that was alright! Yes, yes, I know my updates are terribly slow. It take's a while, alright? Lol. School isn't helping much. I had four tests this week and I made A's on all of them. (Haha, yea. I'm kinda' brilliant.) I still have more next week, along with a few projects I need to work on. So yea, might be up to a week before I update. It shouldn't take longer then that, though, unless I hit writer's block (Which I often do.) So yes, do not fret if it takes some time! Thank you very much for reading. (:

**Reviews are adored.**

_Nat_


	3. Update

Hey! Sorry, not a real update. If, due to my collection of smut, my account is deleted, I will switch to my side account, The Curt Cat. But, if that too is frozen, I will be forced to make a new one, so I will be able to explain where my stories will be moving. The name will likely be **The Snickering Fox**. Just keep that in mind! If any of you know a good site that is easy and well made, please tell me! If you have questions, or can't seem to track me down for the stories, my **email** is **batmanassistant at g mail dot com**, and please don't hesitate to offer opinions on where I should go!

_Nat_


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